Renegade Omake
by Myra the Sark
Summary: Rewritten to fit the new version of "Renegade". I think I did a lot better on this one.


Even after the last of those _things_ ran off, Charlemagne was still in high-alert mode. A little ways off, everyone was regrouping, calling the Monsunos back. "Is everyone alright?" she asked, raising her voice slightly.

Yes ma'am," an Elite answered, taking his helmet off to wipe some sweat from his forehead. "But it appears that Commander Trey, Lieutenants Anderson and Custer…and Jeredy Suno are all missing."

A cold feeling came over her. Her eyes narrowed to slits, and she snarled, "Vell, find zhem!"

"Yes ma'am!" He barked an order to some soldiers, and they followed him one way, while Charlemagne turned the opposite direction—toward a depression in the ground with a few scattered boulders and ledges that also occupied a stream.

As she went in, a feeling of dread stole over the woman, though she shook it off. But once she cleared the first rise, she saw the reason for that feeling.

There was blood all over the clearing, some from the creatures…but most of it was from the two lieutenants. Obviously they hadn't reacted fast enough—they were dead. It wasn't a pretty sight, either, as the creatures were _obviously_ carnivores. It took all of her willpower not to lose her lunch, although she did turn her head and cover her mouth with one hand.

A minute later, she managed to get moving again. She went around two other boulders before stopping short. The clearing she had stumbled into was littered with dead creatures, yet Trey was standing there—scratched up quite a bit, but alive, facing away from her.

Anxiety was replaced with slight relief. "Commander—"

She flinched involuntarily when he whirled around, eyes wide and muscles tense, looking out-and-out dangerous.

Another reason for flinching—he had a nasty-looking wound on the left side of his face which was still bleeding quite a bit. He froze when he realized it was her. "Sorry," he said. Then: "Agh!" He put a hand to his side, which she now saw was bloodstained, and probably still bleeding as well.

"Go find Memphis," she ordered solemnly. "Zhat vay."

He blinked once before going off towards the camp. Now to find Jeredy.

Subconsciously she quickened her pace. She could hear more of the things in the distance…

She looked around a corner, and her eyes widened. Jeredy was standing his ground against five of the creatures, only having a stick to keep them away with.

Charlemagne reacted on impulse. "Driftblade, launch!"

The core collided with a rock, and the lion Monsuno was on the creatures in an instant. Jeredy scrambled back in shock and surprise.

The creatures didn't even last a minute, three being killed and two running off—one badly injured by Driftblade's claws.

When she was sure they were gone, she called her Monsuno back. "Uh…thanks," Jeredy said, wide-eyed.

She didn't reply, instead saying, "This way."

Charlemagne failed to notice the sideways questioning glance she got from her former friend—her voice had been forcibly emotionless, and for the first time, in an obvious way.

* * *

Later that evening, she stood alone on an outcropping of rock that overlooked the sprawling city below. She knew for certain that a Wild Core had sent them into a parallel universe of some sort. After all, a city like that one didn't exist as far as she knew. And the government knew practically everything. Not to mention the creatures that had attacked them had never been documented in any way.

Trey's injuries weren't _too _bad—though Memphis had said that the ones on his side and face would definitely scar. The two lieutenants had been given the proper respects as well.

She tightened her grip on Driftblade's and Blackbullet's cores—she could feel herself getting emotional; when was the last time _that_ happened?

It seemed like she was cursed to lose anyone she knew to an extent:

Jeredy? Former friendship was now nonexistent, even though he was there.

? He went delusional.

Jon Ace? Apparently dead.

Her friend Markl? Dead.

Her parents? Both dead.

She barely knew anyone in STORM—out of fear that they would end up being killed or something of the sort.

And now she was aware that her sight was blurring from tears. As if the day had been bad enough already!

"Charlemagne?" someone called. Just her luck…it was Jeredy. She didn't look at him, just at the city. She was very aware that her makeup was running down her face.

The scientist had hoisted himself onto the outcropping, and was now slowly approaching. "Charlemagne, are you—?"

He cut himself off when he saw what the problem was. Charlemagne kept looking down at the city—she was already embarrassed enough.

Silence went on for a minute. Then she heard Jeredy clear his throat a bit, and then she was very suddenly aware that he was actually hugging her.

And that was that. For the first time in her career, she let out a choked sob, turning so that her face was buried in his shoulder while she cried.

* * *

Needless to say, Jeredy was shocked. He had come up to the outcropping when he overheard one of the soldiers saying that Charlemagne was by herself out here, and he had managed to sneak away to see if she was alright.

He never would've expected to see her _crying_, though! She always came off as rigid and ice-cold now, but now here he was, standing there while she was clinging onto him and practically crying her eyes out, ruining her makeup in the meantime.

Then again, he couldn't blame her. They were in a parallel universe, starting with only thirteen of them—eleven now, since two lieutenants had been killed; Jeredy had gotten a look, and he wished he hadn't. If he hadn't known any better…he'd think that this was the first time something like this had happened on her watch.

Of course she'd feel overwhelmed—he felt overwhelmed himself, actually.

They stayed there for about ten minutes, until she finally started calming down a bit. He was trying to come up with something to say, but he just couldn't get anything out.

After two more minutes, he asked, "You alright?"

She didn't say anything, but lifted her head and wiped her eyes, all while staining her sleeve with her makeup, which was a total mess. He handed her a tissue, which she used to clean off the ruined makeup. She mouthed "thank you," obviously not trusting herself to speak.

Jeredy smiled a bit in response. In a twisted way, maybe this could help restore their friendship.


End file.
